5 Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Here are the 5 best motherboards for your AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D that will be able to run the CPU without any power constraints.

5 Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 9950X3D
An image showing two AM5 motherboards (Image via ASUS | MSI)

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is AMD’s flagship CPU. It packs 16 cores and 32 threads and also incorporates 3D-Vcache to attract enthusiast gamers. Due to the Zen 5 micro-architecture, the total TDP remains much lower than the competitors, but the overall power stability required is much more complex.

Recently, numerous reports emerged of burnt CPUs and motherboards at the same time, primarily from ASRock. As time passed by, burnt damage from other brands, including ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI, also showed up. Below is a selection of motherboards for your 9950X3D that should be stable enough not to cause any fire hazards.

Note: ASRock motherboards are incredibly well-specced. However, due to the hardware risk involved, this guide has decided to opt out. Remember, using an aggressive +20 PBO curve will undoubtedly damage your CPU and the motherboard. Always go for the negative offset. It preserves life and increases performance, thanks to the XFR algorithm present in the CPU’s core.

Also Read: 5 Best Motherboards for Intel Core i9 14900K

1. ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero

An image showing the Crosshair motherboard (Image via ASUS)

The ROG Crosshair is for enthusiasts and system integrators who want no compromises in their motherboard. From overclocking, undervolting, and on-time AGESA updates for stability, everything is put in place together. Gamers who are into memory and subsystem timings will find this board highly rewarding.

SpecificationsDetails
VRM18+2+2 phases with 110A SPS
ChipsetAMD X870E
Socket typeAM5 (LGA 1718)
Memory4 x DDR5 DIMM slots, supports up to 256GB, DDR5 up to 8200+ MT/s (OC) with Ryzen 9000 Series
NVMe Storage5 x M.2 slots
GPU support2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slots (x16 or x8/x8 modes), 1 x PCIe 5.0 x4

2, MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi

An image showing the MSI Carbon motherboard (Image via MSI)

The MPG Carbon is for those who want a reliable mid-range board and prefer the MSI brand. Gamers seeking a stealth-black themed AMD build will find it an excellent fit. As for tuning capabilities, all the AMD CBS (Custom BIOS Menu), such as PBO, curve optimizer, etc., are on offer. The VRM configuration is plenty for a stable operation.

SpecificationsDetails
VRM18+2+1 phases with 90A SPS
ChipsetAMD X870E
Socket typeAM5 (LGA 1718)
Memory4 x DDR5 UDIMM slots, supports up to 256GB, DDR5 up to 8000+ MT/s (OC) with EXPO and Dual Channel
NVMe Storage5 x M.2 slots
GPU support2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slots (x16 or x8/x8 mode), 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (x4 mode)

3. Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master

An image showing the Gigabyte Aorus Master motherboard (Image via Gigabyte)

The Aorus Master is designed for enthusiastic gamers, professional content creators, and system integrators seeking the best value purchase with multiple Gen 5 NVMe slot requirements. The board supports 4 NVMe slots, which may appear low in count, but 3 of them are Gen 5.0, fulfilling multiple next-gen storage use cases. The board packs a twin-phase 16+2+2 VRM setup with 110A capacitors, which is more than what the 9950X3D needs.

SpecificationsDetails
VRMDigital twin 16+2+2 phases with 110A SPS
ChipsetAMD X870E
Socket typeAM5 (LGA 1718)
Memory4 x DDR5 DIMM slots, supports up to 256GB, DDR5 up to 8600+ MT/s (OC) with EXPO and Dual Channel
NVMe Storage4 x M.2 slots
GPU support1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (x16 mode), 2 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slots (x4 mode)

4. MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

An image showing the MSI Tomahawk motherboard (Image via MSI)

The Tomahawk series is for gamers and system builders who want a balance between performance, budget, and features. The VRM setup consists of 14+2+1 phases with 80A capacitors, which is plenty for the 9950X3D. Storage options include 4x M.2 slots, 1 Gen 5, and 3 Gen 4. The BIOS incorporates AMD CBS and its bundled features, making them available if you aim to tune the 9950X3D.

SpecificationsDetails
VRM14+2+1 phases with 80A SPS
ChipsetAMD X870
Socket typeAM5 (LGA 1718)
Memory4 x DDR5 DIMM slots, supports up to 256GB, DDR5 up to 8000+ MT/s (OC) with EXPO and Dual Channel
NVMe Storage4 x M.2 slots
GPU support1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (x16 mode), 2 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slots (x4 mode)

5. ASUS TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi

An image showing the Asus TUF gaming motherboard (Image via ASUS)

The TUF is for budget gamers looking to leverage the benefits of the X870 chipset and a robust VRM setup to back the 9950X3D. The TUF represents a board that is perfect for gamers who prefer the plug-and-play approach and look for reliability without failure. The power delivery section is backed by a 16+2+2-phase VRM with Dr.Mos. The caps and amps are undisclosed by the company. Still, as per community feedback, the VRM solution is remarkable.

SpecificationsDetails
VRM16+2+2 phases with Dr.MOS
ChipsetAMD X870
Socket typeAM5 (LGA 1718)
Memory4 x DDR5 DIMM slots, supports up to 256GB, DDR5 up to 8000+ MT/s (OC) with EXPO and Dual Channel
NVMe Storage4 x M.2 slots
GPU support1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (x16 mode), 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (x4 mode), 2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots

Verdict

All of the boards are highly capable of driving the 9950X3D efficiently. AMD’s public statement warns that the maximum SoC voltage should be less than 1.30V on the 3D-VCache; if exceeded, it may result in permanent damage. It is valid for all motherboards, regardless of the vendor. Use HWINFO to handle this; if you find your chip is drawing more power at stock settings, we highly recommend seeking a replacement for the motherboard or CPU.

Also Read: 5 Best Motherboards for Intel Core i9 14900KS


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